MovieChat Forums > The Princess and the Frog (2009) Discussion > In light of recent Disney outings, this ...

In light of recent Disney outings, this one feels underrated

posted 11 years ago by mstroupe
17 replies | jump to latest

Is it just me, or has this one kind of disappeared from the public eye? I just got back from seeing Frozen, and while I liked the story (for the most part), the music was pretty lacking. It made me think of this film, and after watching a few clips of the songs, I realized I had forgotten how rich this film was in many ways. I saw it when it came out and enjoyed it, but now it feels like an anomaly among recent Disney movies, which feel so...superficial in their story and character development. I forgot that this movie has some really memorable, messy, wonderful characters, and they really use the culture of New Orleans to its greatest extent (which also feels lacking in Frozen, which is set in an ambiguous Scandanavia which is not really ever showcased except that they use the word "fjord").

Anyway. Might have to watch this one again and enjoy that hand-drawn beauty that I miss from Disney.

That's all

[–] LadyMiraculous 11 years ago

I hear ya'! Most of all, I don't get the hate towards the songs because I loved most of them (maybe people these days aren't that fond of jazz? ). The story is probably a little overwritten, but the characters totally make up for it. This is a very fun movie, and I'll never understand the hate it receives.

Let the storm rage on, the cold never bothered me anyway...
[Formerly CosmosX9]

[–] jname96 11 years ago

OP, I also just saw "Frozen" and I agree w/ everything you said about that and PATF... sadly overlooked.

I think PATF simply lacked the flash of the computer animated films..

[–] super-staff 11 years ago

I've enjoyed pretty much all of Disney's movies from Meet the Robinsons onward (minus Winnie the Pooh, which I never saw). PatF was wonderful and I would say it's on par with Tangled and Frozen in terms of being a great Disney princess film.

[–] T-eschberger 11 years ago

I still don't get why Disney fans disliked this film. It makes no sense to me. All politically correct arsehats do is say Disney needs to be diverse, they get a diverse film and it's still hated on? They get what they want and they say it's done wrong or not enough? The hell do you people want?

Forget Tiana being black. It doesn't matter and isn't some agenda. She's just a good character. Period. She's strong, she's smart, she's hard working. Whats the issue here again? The animation is STUNNING, the music strong, the villain top tier and the romance is one of the most well developed and charming of the entire Disney filmography.

This is one of the most bizarrely disliked films of recent memory...because I literally don't see any reasons WHY people dislike it.

Oh, and totally disagree with the OP on the music in Frozen being bland. It was damn fantastic and the strongest musically since Hunchback.

[–] jname96 11 years ago

This is one of the most bizarrely disliked films of recent memory...because I literally don't see any reasons WHY people dislike it.

I agree w/ all the virtues you listed here, but: this movie simply wasn't as fun and magical as Disney's best... it lacked the "wow" factor. That's all.

Btw, I'm a FAN of it.

[–] little_miss_mo 11 years ago

Totally agree. Perhaps part of the disconnect was that the main characters spent a great deal of the film as frogs, as has been mentioned a few times. Also Naveen isn't quite as... shall we say, an approachable character as Eugene/Kristoff (if we're comparing it to Tangled and Frozen)?

I enjoyed it, but I didn't love it.

There's no gene for fate.

[–] jdagd68278 11 years ago

They get what they want and they say it's done wrong or not enough?

Um, maybe some people just disliked it for the story. I've heard a lot of people say that the plot was somewhat convoluted.

She's just a good character. Period. She's strong, she's smart, she's hard working. Whats the issue here again?

I like Tiana too...but I felt like they were trying to make too much of a "role model" out of her. (similar thing with Belle. Though I felt like Belle seemed too...perfect? Idk. But I like Belle as well).

[–] jname96 11 years ago

Um, maybe some people just disliked it for the story. I've heard a lot of people say that the plot was somewhat convoluted.

Yup, it was convoluted. It needed to be more streamlined and clear.

I like Tiana too...but I felt like they were trying to make too much of a "role model" out of her.

Ugh, yes. It's like they were trying too hard to be PC. Though I guess that was a clear flaw of Tiana: she didn't know how to have fun. But we've seen the "ambitious, work-oriented" black stereotype too many times now in the past 20 years.

[–] GuyAwks 11 years ago

I completely agree, and came here pretty much to post your exact comment.

Frozen felt extremely forced, to the point where it was overcompensating for a thin plot with constant quipping and really over-the-top Broadway numbers. It completely lacked the charm that TPATF had. That and it tried way too hard to be "modern".

I loved TPATF so much more than either Tangled and Frozen so it really frustrates me how they are so glorified by the public while TPATF is brushed under the rug. 2D animation offers something that 3D can't give us and I wish people understood that.

TPATF > Tangled, Frozen

[–] LadyMiraculous 11 years ago

Actually, I prefer both Frozen and PatF over Tangled, but that's just me.

Let the storm rage on, the cold never bothered me anyway...
[Formerly CosmosX9]

[–] jajceboy 11 years ago

For me, I just don't think it's that amazing. It is a nice throw-back to classic Disney films, but it could have been better. Something was lacking.
Not a bad film at all. In fact is fairly good but not as "epic" as other films.

As for the songs, they were good and well-performed but they are forgettable. None of them has an instant "Disney classic" feeling to them. Compare these song to some older songs or even "Let It Go" and see who have stand the test of time better.

[–] nayo92112 11 years ago

Dreadful, for little Black American girls. We, will have to create our own princesses, who aren't animals through the whole of the film.

[–] haterslooveme 11 years ago

Indeed.

But still, Tiana is a badass lady. Beautiful, smart, strong and independent with an actual goal unlike friggin Belle and Cinderella.

[–] LadyMiraculous 11 years ago

Cinderella and Belle had goals. They just weren't "specific" goals like Tiana's.

Your smile is what saved me...
[Formerly CosmosX9]

[–] xfastfurious15 10 years ago

Belle's goals were to live her life how she wanted to (instead of how women were supposed to at the time) and to save her father (twice in the film).

How is that not specific??

"I bet your wondering what a place like this is doing in a girl like me" -The Mummy

[–] TutuAnimationPrincess 10 years ago

This is a great Disney film and seeing so much support for it here makes me think it isn't underrated. It's one of the most enjoyable and likable Disney movies I've ever seen. I enjoy it more than most of the 90s films. I love Frozen too, though, so I'd like to see people stop using it as the go-to punching bag.

If everything is not all rainbows and kittens for you today, hopefully it will be tomorrow!

[–] ChristinaAnnJBarrett 10 years ago

Tim Burton was dominating the world of animation from around 2005-now.

Compared to Tim Burton, this was just 1 more fling. I think it's great and got it and 3 other DVDs for free over Frankenweenie, which I sorely want.

A REAL IMMORTAL GODDESS